


Bartender, Make Me A Drink

by InkstainedGwyn



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Alcohol, Bartender AU, Falling In Love, Kissing, M/M, just two guys, my first non-game-related AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 09:29:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7568971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkstainedGwyn/pseuds/InkstainedGwyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stopping by a bar one night after a bad date, Souji finds himself hitting it off with the bartender, Yosuke.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bartender, Make Me A Drink

**Author's Note:**

> It's my first non-game-related AU, but I wanted to write something cute about adult!Souji and adult!Yosuke and other people have done coffeeshop AUs way better than I could. I'm better with alcohol than coffee, anyway.
> 
> Here's my [tumblr](https://ohlookashinysquirrel.tumblr.com) if you want to poke at me.

“What can I get you?”

Souji, who’d just slid into a seat, looked up at the bartender; the brunette had amber eyes and a sunny smile, and something about him made Souji feel comfortable as he glanced up at the drink list. He wasn’t a big drinker, though, and didn’t know much about alcohol, so he just shrugged.

“Whatever beer you have on draft.”

“Coming right up.” Flipping a glass and starting to fill it with deft hands, the brunette - who looked to be in his late twenties, the same age range as Souji - smiled over at him. 

“Waiting for someone?” He gestured to Souji, clearly indicating his dress clothes. “Or just getting off work?” He wasn’t prepared for the silver-haired customer’s face to fall, but then - he’d seen that sort of thing too many times to be surprised.

“Had a date. Didn’t go well. She dumped me.” When the bartender slid the beer over with a frown and a sympathetic tongue-click, Souji took a deep drink. 

“Sucks, man, I’m sorry. Want to talk about it?” 

Souji didn’t, but he found himself doing so, anyway. “Not much to say, really. She’d been depressed, and I hated to see her that way, so I asked her out. We got along pretty well, I guess, but I could tell she was never _really_ into me, and she dumped me tonight. It’s okay. She feels a lot better about herself now, and that was my whole goal - and this way I think we can still be friends. If she’s not into dating me, she’s not into dating me. I can’t change that.”

Leaning against the back counter, arms crossed, the bartender pushed his bangs out of his eyes as he studied the guy at the bar. Silver hair, silver eyes edged with laugh lines - though right now he was thoroughly depressed - he had an earnest air about him that supported his words. _The kind of guy who gives and puts himself last so that other people can be happy._

“Really liked her, then?” Picking up a towel, he started to wipe down the bar; it was usually easier for customers to talk if they didn’t feel pressured, or on the spot.

Frowning again, Souji found himself rotating his now-empty beer glass. “I… maybe? I don’t know. We weren’t together for that long. I guess it’s just kind of disheartening - it was nice to have somebody to talk to, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.” Replacing the empty glass with a full one, Yosuke gave him a warm smile. “Well, I’m no cute chick, but you’re free to sit and talk as long as you want. Or just think.” 

“Thanks.” Souji took the second beer, looking around; the bar was quiet and dark - not swank, exactly, but classy enough to feel comfortable. There weren’t many patrons - a few at tables, another two along the long bar - and the bartender moved down to fill some more drinks and chat a bit with the others, though he caught Souji’s eye once and smiled.

He was gone just long enough for Souji to look around and think about things; just as he started to feel antsy, the bartender was back, stocking glasses along the back wall just across from his chair. “Never seen you around here before, you new to town, or just looking to get away from your usual stomping grounds?”

Raising an eyebrow, Souji shrugged. “Actually, I live in the high-rise across the street. I’m just not usually a bar kinda guy - probably one of the reasons Ai wasn’t too keen on going out, she liked a good night on the town.” He looked around again. “This place is pretty nice, though. Not what I picture when I think ‘bar’ - I can actually hear myself think here.”

“Yeah, I like this place.” The bartender smiled. “I mean, you’d hope so, right? Since I work here. But it’s a nice place to get to talk to people, see new faces, talk to familiar ones.”

“Yeah.” Slowly finishing his beer, Souji looked around again; when the bartender gestured to the glass, he shook his head. 

“Nah, I should stick to two. I’m not a lightweight, but I don’t need to get drunk or anything.” Looking as if he almost wanted to stay, Souji pulled out his wallet; as he settled his tab, he looked around again. “Maybe I’ll stop back in sometime.”

“I certainly hope you do, Mr. Seta.” When Souji blinked owlishly at him, the bartender laughed, holding up his credit card. “I’m not telepathic, sorry.” He was rewarded by another blink and then a gentle smile, as Souji took the card back.

“Thanks for the beer and the chat.”

* * *

The bartender knew he shouldn’t be surprised when, several days later, the door opened and Souji came in, this time in casual clothes. It didn’t stop him from smiling, however. 

“Evening, Mr. Seta. How’s life treating you?”

Souji gave him his second smile - this one a little self-depreciating - as he took a seat. “You can call me Souji. And I’m okay, I guess. I know it sounds stupid, but I figured it might be nice to talk to somebody.”

“It’s not stupid.” The bartender gave another sunny smile. “And if I’m going to call you Souji, you can call me Yosuke.”

“Yosuke?” Souji tilted his head. 

“Yeah. Yosuke Hanamura.” A wink. “But I’m being remiss. What can I get you?”

“Just a draft again.” 

Nodding, Yosuke grabbed another glass - this time giving it a half-spin - before filling it up at the tap; Souji found himself looking the bartender over, having not paid much attention the other night. Beyond appearing to be in his late twenties, Yosuke was more tan than Souji, wore a band t-shirt under an unbuttoned button-up, had a silver ear cuff, light stubble, and was wearing black jeans. Looking down at his own muted turtleneck and plain jeans, Souji found himself thinking wryly that Yosuke had a lot better fashion sense than he did - and the look suited the brunette.

“Well, I’m glad you decided this was an okay place to chat.” Yosuke slid the beer over. “You work today? You’re dressed pretty casually.”

“Eh.” Souji rubbed his neck. “Yeah, I worked, but since I live across the street, it’s easy to go home and change first. Didn’t feel like staying in, so I decided to come out. It was a long day.”

“Sorry to hear it. What do you do?”

“Ed-tech. I work with educational software, dev-ops team.”

“Ohh, nice.” Yosuke whistled. “I like computers, but apart from the internet, video games, and music, I don’t really know much about them.”

Souji smiled at this. “There's nothing wrong with that; not everybody likes to tinker around with code. Everybody has their specialties - I don’t know the first thing about drinks, for example, though they’re not bad. I don’t _drink_ that much, but I enjoy it when I do.”

Yosuke laughed. “Figured as much, given _what_ you drink.” 

Flushing, Souji looked at his glass. “I don’t really know what else to order… I guess I could go for brandy or scotch, but I’m not really fond of either of those. Too smoky.” 

Yosuke looked at him, speculatively. “Well, want me to make something for you?”

Looking back down at his glass - nearly empty - Souji thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Sure.”

“Anything you don’t like? Smoky, what else?” 

“I’m not fond of melon, or anything too sweet. I don’t mind _some_ sweetness, I just don’t want candy.”

Another long look - Souji found himself feeling a little self-conscious - and then Yosuke turned to the rows of bottles, grabbing a few from different areas, a small squeeze bottle from below the bar, and a martini glass. Flipping a tall bottle with some clear liquor and sprigs of what looked like flowers end-over-end, the brunette started to put together something that - to Souji - looked very complicated. It wasn’t exactly a _fancy_ performance, like some of the bartending displays Souji had heard about, but Yosuke was definitely putting on a bit of a show, and the silver-haired man found himself watching closely. _He’s really good with his hands_.

Finishing it off with a drizzle of some chartreuse-coloured liquor - Souji hoped Yosuke hadn’t decided to try to ‘surprise’ him with melon in an attempt to get him to like it - the bartender dropped a sprig of some herb into the glass and then slid it across the counter.

“Try it. If you don’t like it, it’s on the house.”

Not bothering to hide his wary glance, Souji took a sip, paused, blinked, then took another sip. It was sweet, but only enough to take the edge off the liquor; he tasted anise, honey, herbs, and something floral - “Lavender?”

“Yep.” Yosuke still looked as if he was waiting for something; Souji took another drink, and then smiled.

“I like it. It’s easy to drink, but not because it’s had a pound of sugar dumped into it. What’s it called?”

As a grin broke across the bartender’s face, he shrugged. “I just made it up, so I guess it would be The Souji.” A chuckle. “It fits you - warm, fresh, just sweet enough to hide the sting. Honey, lavender vodka, finished off with a touch of absinthe and a sprig of rosemary.”

Fighting to hide an unexpected flush, Souji took another drink, this one deeper; Yosuke laughed. “It might taste mild, but it’ll really pack a punch if you’re not careful. I wouldn’t recommend more than one or two of those in a night.”

“Acknowledged. I’ll have one more and then I should probably head home.”

“All right. We don’t close for a few more hours, though - don’t feel like you’ve got to go.” 

“Good to know, but unfortunately, I’ve got to work tomorrow.”

* * *

After that, Souji started to stop by the bar once or twice a week; he seemed to enjoy the small talk with Yosuke, and occasionally he eyed the other customers, but nothing really unexpected happened. Yosuke certainly enjoyed seeing him come in; it was always unpredictable, which nights he’d show - something Souji attributed to having weird hours due to his job (“Never know when an urgent bug report is going to come up”). 

One evening, Souji was enjoying another one of Yosuke’s creations - this one a mojito with cucumber, thyme, and blueberries - and the conversation turned to the brunette. 

“Actually, I’ve got a degree in psychology. I tried working with patients for a few months, but it just really didn’t sit well with me… meanwhile, I’d worked as a bartender in college, and really enjoyed it, so I decided I’d rather do that. My training still serves me just as well here.”

Souji frowned a little, feeling a little off. _So this is just a place for him to practice his degree. Get customers to spill their guts with alcohol, analyze them, talk them through their problems, get them back out the door. I guess it’s just a job for him_. “Oh, I see.”

Conversation tapered off after that - Yosuke quickly realized that Souji was feeling uncomfortable, and he wasn’t too stupid to realize it was likely something about what he’d said - but he didn’t let it show. 

Feeling a little ridiculous, but still weird, Souji paid for his drink and headed home as soon as he could.

* * *

After that, several weeks passed without Souji visiting the bar. Yosuke found himself watching the door, more and more disappointed with each evening that passed with no glimpse of silver hair and eyes.

Souji, meanwhile, kept to himself - he had a lot of late nights at work, which contributed to his absence, but when he _was_ free, he stayed home. He missed the bar more than he would have expected, but that just served to make him more uncomfortable.

 _I miss having someone to talk to, but then… I was just filling space with Yosuke, wasn’t I? It was just a job for him. It probably doesn’t matter what customers are sitting in the seat, provided it’s a tip and a chance to analyze_. 

Still, Souji grew lonelier and lonelier, and he couldn’t deny that the brunette was friendly and cheerful. More than one night they’d just _talked_ \- no psychology that Souji, at least, could recognize - so one evening he found himself going back, after a particularly long day.

* * *

When the door opened, late in the evening, and Yosuke caught a glimpse of silver hair, he found himself feeling a lot more cheerful than he’d have expected. His smile - brighter even than usual - caught Souji off guard, and he smiled back at Yosuke, feeling better than he had in weeks. 

“Hey.” He slipped into his usual seat, glad to see that it was still empty.

“Hey yourself.” Yosuke slid a napkin in front of him, following it with a bowl of nuts. “Been a while. What can I get you?”

“One of those drinks - er, the one with honey and lavender.” 

“You mean The Souji.” A wink; Souji flushed, but nodded. 

“If you insist on calling it that, sure.”

He watched Yosuke prepare it, a warm spot settling in his stomach; the unexpected feeling of contentment did not skip his notice, and he realized with a pang that he’d grown fond - more than fond? - of the brunette. 

“Sorry I haven’t been around,” he offered, hoping Yosuke would make some sort of reference to missing him. “Long work hours, and then…” He trailed off.

“Well, I’m glad you had time to come by.” Yosuke slid the drink over, a warm smile on his face. “I kind of felt like I put you off last time, when I talked about my degree, and that made me sad.”

“Er.” Souji looked embarrassed. “Uh, sorry about that.”

“Nah, it’s to be expected.” Yosuke was still smiling; his brown eyes were bright, and Souji found himself having to focus on his drink. “You know why I decided I liked bartending more than being a psych in an office? I get to help people here that might normally not go looking for some place to talk it out, yeah, but it’s not just that. I enjoy meeting people, making friends, maybe making something more than friends.”

 _More than friends_ … swallowing, Souji drained the rest of his glass. He found it easier to focus on the table off to the side - the patrons were regulars, so the familiar faces helped a bit - and gave a faint smile. “You do that often?”

“What, ‘more than friends’? Eh.” Yosuke noticed with some unexpected disappointment that Souji seemed to be distracted by the girls at the table near the bar. “Not really. If I like somebody, I don’t want to make it weird with a one night stand. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it’s just not my style.”

Souji wasn’t sure what to think about that; he glanced over at Yosuke, who looked a little put out. _Not interested in one night stands… okay, that’s okay, neither am I… but what about_ more _than that?_

Before he could come up with an response, Yosuke gave a wry smile and continued. “What about you? First time you showed up you’d just been dumped. You ready to get back out there?” He consoled himself with the knowledge that the girls at the table were both nice, and either one of them would probably enjoy getting to know Souji. Souji, in turn, was gentle and warm; anyone would be lucky to have him. 

_Anyone, hmm?_

Souji, meanwhile, flushed at the question, wondering if Yosuke had read his thoughts, but he composed his face, turning halfway back to the bar. “Not really. Guess I just figured it’d come back to bite me in the end.”

A frown. “That’s no good. If nobody’s struck your fancy that’s one thing, but don’t miss out on pursuing a spark just because you’re scared. Don’t be afraid to try, even if you think you might fail.” 

Blinking at this, Souji turned himself fully towards the bartender. “Is that advice from Yosuke, the psychologist?”

The brunette shook his head. “How about Yosuke, the bartender friend?” He gave a crooked smile, and Souji returned it.

_A spark, eh?_

They exchanged a bit more small talk, but finally Yosuke looked up at the clock. “Sorry, dude, it’s closing time.”

“Oh, right.” Souji closed out his tab; giving Yosuke a warm smile and wave, he headed out. 

When the door shut behind him, Yosuke sighed, staring after him for a bit before starting to wipe down the tables.

* * *

Not feeling inclined to linger, Yosuke had the place cleaned up and closed out within the half hour; it helped that the owner opened each morning, and Kanji was usually pretty lax as long as the place wasn’t a wreck and the cash register had been counted down. He’d just locked the door when he realized that someone was leaning, nearby, against the wall; the glimpse of silver hair was all he needed to know that it was the last person he’d expect.

“Souji?” He was worried that something had happened, but at his voice, the man opened his eyes, smiling faintly - _shyly_ \- and pushed himself away from the wall. 

“Hey.”

“What are you doing here?” Yosuke had expected him to already be gone - this was the first time he’d ever stayed until closing, and he still hadn’t left? He wasn’t prepared for the look of uncertainty that flashed across the other man’s face.

“Taking your advice.” A pause, as Yosuke still looked confused. “You know, you said if I met somebody I felt a spark with, I should go for it?”

After another pause that felt like an eternity to Souji, Yosuke’s confusion broke into a wide smile, brighter than any Souji had seen yet; it was almost enough to stun the silver-haired man. 

“I’m glad I’m not the only one.” Yosuke's voice was quiet as he stepped closer, shortening the distance between them.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Souji bit his lip. “I, um - well I guess it’s kind of redundant to ask you if you want to get a drink. My, um- my apartment is across the street. Would you like to come up for some coffee?”

Finding Souji’s shyness to be almost too much to resist, Yosuke still waited, raising an eyebrow. “I mentioned I’m not really interested in one-night stands, right?”

“I’m not, either.” 

Souji’s look of vulnerability was the last straw for Yosuke, who stepped forward again as he finished closing the gap that separated them. Taking one of the silver-haired man’s hands, the brunette leaned in, tilting his head as he closed his eyes; Souji’s lips met his, warm and sweet, and by the time they pulled apart Souji had an arm around Yosuke’s waist and the biggest smile on his face that the brunette had ever seen.

Silver eyes flickered open. “...that’s a yes, right? Please let that be a yes.”

“It’s a yes.” Yosuke laughed quietly, leaning in again.


End file.
